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The largest satellite company in the world is Luxembourg’s SES, with a revenue of $14.84 billion.
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As of 2021, the global satellite industry has a market size of $71.6 billion.
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There are currently 4,550 satellites in orbit around the earth.
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The global satellite market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% through 2030.
Satellites are pieces of complicated technology that have been in orbit since 1957, with the launch of Sputnik. Today, they are the machinery responsible for the modern-day comforts we often take for granted, like LTE data streaming, weather monitoring, television, international phone calls, GPS systems, Google Earth, etc.
Without our complicated satellite networks, life would be noticeably more difficult. From communication in the most remote places to convenient cable TV, many people rely on satellites every day.
But, Despite their importance in our lives, many wrongly believe that there are only a few dozen satellites currently in orbit. In actuality, there are over four thousand.
Seeing as they provide so many modern conveniences, we must know which companies are behind these satellites, keeping them up and functioning. Therefore, here are the top 15 satellite operators of 2020. According to their website, which ranks their revenues:
15 Largest Satellite Companies in the World
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2021 Annual Revenue: $14.84 billion
SES (or la Société Européenne des Satellites) is a Luxembourgish satellite operator and owns over 70 satellites. Given that this tiny country has a population of around 600,000 people, we wouldn’t expect them to be the world’s leader in such a sophisticated and expensive technology as satellites.
However, SES provides internet service providers, governments, and other institutions with data connectivity worldwide. It was originally founded in 1985, and as of 2019, it was bringing in around €1.990 billion ($2.29 billion) annually.
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2021 Annual Revenue: $11.22 billion
Intelsat has its roots in the beginnings of space travel. In 1962, Intelsat was created when JFK signed the U.S. Satellite Communications Act, establishing it as an intergovernmental consortium to maintain control over communications satellites.
Just a few years later, in 1969, Intelsat would bring images of the moon landing to television sets worldwide.
After privatizing in 2001, the company remains one of the largest global satellite operators, bringing in $2.061 billion in 2019.
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Eutelsat
2021 Annual Revenue: $3.05 billion
This European satellite operator provides coverage throughout Europe, as well as in Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia. Much like Intelsat, it was created as an intergovernmental association to create a telecommunication structure for Europe.
Founded in 1977, this company provides a wide range of services including data broadcasting, mobile services, such as GPS and messaging, as well as direct broadcasting of TV and radio. They have thirty-nine satellites in total and in 2019, they reported $1.4 billion in revenue.
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Speedcast
2021 Annual Revenue: $1.92 billion
Relatively young compared to the previous listings, Speedcast is an Australian satellite operator that was founded in 1999. They serve regions in the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa; they also maintain a global maritime network, so their reach is truly worldwide. In 2020, the company brought in $722.3 million.
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2021 Annual Revenue: $1.228 billion
Telesat is a Canadian satellite communications company that was founded in 1969. Like Intelsat and Eutelsat, Telesat was created by an act of government, to speed up the building of telecommunications infrastructure, and they later privatized in 1998.
Today, they offer services for television and radio broadcasters, as well as corporate networks. They currently have almost thirty satellites in orbit, and in 2019, they brought in revenue amounting to around $900 million.
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Telespazio
2021 Annual Revenue: $758 million
Founded in 1961, this Italian-based telecommunications company provides services like satellite control and management, Earth observation, and integrated communications. They operate in places such as France, the UK, Romania, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina.
In 1969, in an agreement with Intelsat, they helped bring the moon landing broadcast to Europe. Just a few years before, in 1964, Telespazio also had a hand in broadcasting the Olympics from Tokyo, which would become the first Olympics to be broadcast via satellite. In 2018, Telespazio generated around €493 million (~595 million USD)
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Globecast
2021 Annual Revenue: $722.3 million
Globecast was created from French Direction des Transmissions Audiovisuelles (DTA) and was founded in 1997, though it was officially incorporated in 2002.
Today, they offer services in transmission, aggregation, distribution, and formatting of radio, television, and media. Currently, Globecast is serving five different continents: Europe, America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. They are also currently operating twelve satellite teleports. Their revenue is listed at $286 million.
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Singapore Telecommunications
2021 Annual Revenue: $617 million
Also known as Singtel, this company has its roots deep in the past, with its creation being in 1879 as Private Telephone Exchange. Today, however, Singapore Telecommunications is the largest mobile network operator in Singapore. Singtel controls major portions of the market in the Asia-Pacific, Indonesia, and Australia.
They also own significant shares in other telecommunications companies, including full ownership of Australia’s Optus and forty percent of the second-largest carrier in India, Bharti Airtel.
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Hispasat
2021 Annual Revenue: $584 million
This Spain-based telecommunications company operates satellites that serve the Americas, Europe, and North Africa. It was formed in 1989, and today it broadcasts to more than 30 million homes, while also providing broadband internet to telephones.
They currently own 16 satellites in orbit, and in 2017, they achieved total revenue of €235.1 million ($283 million).
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Arqiva
2021 Annual Revenue: $526.1 million
This British telecommunications corporation was founded in 2005 and provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the UK. Various organizations came together to form Arqiva in 2005, including famous entities such as the British Broadcasting Company (BBC).
According to their website, Arqiva is “the UK’s leading player in critical network infrastructure services for the broadcast and utility sectors.” They own a network of some 1500 radio and television transmission sites. In 2020, Arqiva reported group revenue of £879.9 million ($1.228 billion).
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AsiaSat
2021 Annual Revenue: $286 million
Also known as Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, this satellite operator is based in Hong Kong, China. AsiaSat was founded in 1988 and currently has seven satellites operational. It is worth noting that AsiaSat is also jointly owned by CITIC Limited, a Chinese state-owned corporation.
In 2017, AsiaSat reported revenue of HK$1.354 billion, which is approximately $174 million.
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Thaicom
2021 Annual Revenue: $184 million
Founded in 1991, Thaicom Public Company Limited provides Asia, Oceania, and Africa with telecommunication services, including internet and telephone services, as well as satellite television services.
Over its history, it has successfully launched eight satellites. Currently, it operates a fleet of four satellites, as well as operating satellite ground facilities.
Thaicom reports a 2020 revenue of Bhat 3.557 billion, which is approximately 117 million USD.
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Measat
2021 Annual Revenue: $174 million
Formerly known as Binariang Satellite Systems, MEASAT (Malaysia East Asia Satellite) is a communications satellite operator that has been in business since 1993, when Malaysia’s Prime Minister at the time, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, put an end to the government’s monopoly on communications services.
Since then, MEASAT has launched six satellites, allowing reliable telephone and data transmission services to all of Malaysia, as well as providing the opportunity for direct-to-home television options for the nation.
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Telstra
2020 Annual Revenue: $117 million
This Australian telecommunications company was founded in 1975 and is the creator of a National Broadband Network, that serves most of the Australian population.
They provide telephone services, including landline, mobile, and payphone, as well as internet access and mobile broadband. They use two satellites, known as Optus D2 and D3, to serve over 7.5 million homes.
In 2020, Telstra reported a total income of $23 billion Australian, which is around $18 billion.
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du
2021 Annual Revenue: N/A
Otherwise known as the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co., du is one of two telecommunications operators in the UAE.
It was founded in 2005 and provides telephone services as well as broadband connectivity to both individuals and businesses. They also provide satellite services to TV broadcasters. In 2020, they reported a revenue of AED 2.99 billion or $814 million.
Final Thoughts
While we hardly think about them, without these satellite and telecommunications companies, we would be teleported back into the dark ages. These companies make living a digitally connected life possible.
These companies, though they are hardly household names, make our households and our businesses run smoother. They make location services, such as GPS and geotagging, seamless processes, and they work to make our world a little more interconnected.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
